In Low-Energy Buildings and Passive Houses the energy demand for hot water often exceeds the demand for heating energy. Therefore the development of concepts for hot water production is essential in such houses. The concepts have to consider all phases beginning with production of hot water, storage, distribution and waste-water- heat-recovery.
Solar thermal systems are commonly used in residential buildings, hotels, sports facilities, hospitals, farms and business enterprises as show thousands of plants in operation in Austria. The present project targets for quality management in solar thermal plants to assure development in applictions and market growth.
The main focus of this R&D project is an evaluation of the long-term potentials of renewable energy systems in Austria till 2020, primarily with regard to their expectable economic growth rates and export trends. In due consideration of changing economical and political boundary conditions the project aims at strategical recommendations for further future developments and R&D activities.
In order to provide the European Union and its Member States with substantiated information on the solar thermal contribution to the 20% renewable energy target and its long-term potential, detailed surveys were conducted using a representative sample of five European countries and the information is being extrapolated to the EU-27 countries. Both the technical and economic potential of solar thermal technologies were examined for different applications.
The study was carried out for the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF)
The objective of the project of the International Energy Agency is to develop advanced materials and systems for compact storage of thermal energy. To reach this goal experts from material research and system technology in different fields of application work together: solar thermal energy, co- and tri-generation and heat pumps, air conditioning, district heating, industrial waste heat, concentrated solar power etc.
The goals of the IEA SHC Task 38 “Solar Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration” are the development and testing of pre-engineered systems of solar heating and cooling in small size. Further goals are the development and testing of specially designed solar air-conditioning and refrigeration systems for non-residential buildings as well as the development of new components for solar cooling systems.
The EU project HIGH COMBI aims at development and demonstration of solar thermal heating and cooling systems with high solar fraction. Especially in office buildings, where in the summer period domestic hot water load is typically very small but cooling load is high, solar cooling is a perfect match to a solar heating system.
A system for solar cold production is being developed in this project. Parabolic trough collectors are used to generate steam at a temperature level of 150-200°C. The steam then drives a steam jet ejector chiller.
Sorption heat store in the laboratory filled with silica gel, AEE INTEC
In Task 32 of the International Energy Agency, advanced heat storage concepts for solar and low energy buildings are being developed. These storage concepts should allow to reach a solar fraction of more than 50 % for single-family houses with a high energy density and low costs.
